The invention relates generally to organizers and, more specifically, to organizers that facilitate sorting and storing relatively small, loose items.
Generally, organizers for storing relatively small, loose items such as nuts, bolts, screws, etc. consist of a cabinet housing a number of drawer-type storage bins. When placing items into the storage bins of an organizer of this type, a user sometimes needs to sort the items before they are placed in the bins, for example, if the various items to be stored are intermingled.
The invention provides an organizing cabinet for storing relatively small, loose items in sorted fashion which is configured to facilitate sorting and storing of the items. The organizing cabinet features a cabinet housing a number of storage bins and a sorting plate disposed at an upper portion of the cabinet. The sorting plate is pivotally connected to the cabinet at a pivot axis located along an upper edge of the cabinet. The sorting plate has a flat sorting surface and a retaining wall extending along the sorting surface, generally along the pivot axis. A dispensing port is formed in the retaining wall. Relatively small, loose items which have been sorted on the sorting surface can then be poured into a receptacle positioned below the dispensing port by pivoting the sorting plate upwardly about the pivot axis such that the items pass through the dispensing port and drop into the receptacle.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.